Projectile.



PATENTED NOV. 13, 1905.

' J. B. SEMPLB.

PROJEGTILE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. a, 1904.

uurrnn srarns PnrnNjr orrion;

Specification of Letters Patent.;.r .i

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application ld September 3, 1904. Serial 113:228332.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN BONNER SEM- PLE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discoveredV certain new and usefulImprove-` ments in Projectiles, of which-improvements the following is aspecification.

My invention concerns means for visually' detecting the trajectory ofprojectiles; and the object of my improvements is a projectile which inflight can readily be observed by day and also by night.

ln general terms my invention consists in providing in asuitably-arranged cavity in the rojectile a quantity of substance whichwhillJ the projectile flies through the air will by suitable means begradually expelled into the air and a substance of such properties thatwhen so expelled it will form a visible trail behind the projectileeither of cloud or of light.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this s ecification,Figure 1 shows in longitudina section an explosive projectile equippedwith a structure embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing a modification in the manner in which such a projectile may beequipped. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing my invention applied to ablind shell; and Fig. 4 is a view, also in longitudinal section, showinga modification in application to a blind shell.

Parts which are repeated in the several figures bear the samereference-numerals in each case.

Referring to Fig. 1, the body of the projectile is indicated by 1, and 2represents the burster-cavity, represented as illed with aA burstercharge. This burster cavity and char e are immaterial to my invention inits broa er terms. The figure, however, illustrates the adaptability ofthe invention and shows it ina practical combination. This explosiveprojectile is equipfped in usual manner with a base-plug 3 an a fuse 4:

l provide a chamber 5, adapted to receive a tracer substance, and lprovide means for ejecting or expelling the tracer substance from suchcontaining-chamber while the projectilei's in flight. 'My preferredconstruction involves the use of a tracer substance in liquid form.Chamber 5 is preferably and conveniently arranged at the rear and in thepor-.t 6 leads from a axis of the projectile. It is preferably circularin cross-section and preferably tapered from rear 'to front. As shown in1, it is in form a frustuin of a cone. "A port 6 leads from chamber 5tothe exterior oi' the rojectile. Itis of such size as to ernn't t egradual escape of the fluid in t e manner presently to be described andto that end is of relatively minute diameter. This ort 6 is arranged soas to permit the expulsion of all or a substantial part of the liquidcontained in chamber 5 and also to be subject to the pneumatic pressureof firing. To these ends point in or near the edge of the base of theconical chamber and eX- tends rearward, opening behind 4the projectile,as shown in the drawings. Cavity 5 is partially filled with the tracerlluid, and port 6 is closed in such manner that the li uid will notescape in the ordinary usage w ,'ch the rojectile receives beforefiring; but when ed the ort will be opened for ,the urposes to edescribed.' I preferably c ose port 6 with a plug of lead 7, which whenthe' projectile is fired will be driven forward into chamber 5, leavingthe port open. Y

The only necessary character of the liquid aside from its properties'asaliquid is that it shall be ada ted to visual detection when expelled. lfor daylight use, the fluid may be a solution of cheap asphaltum inbenzene or .water containing common red pigment or chalk in sus ension.For night use I employ a liqui which on ex osure to the atmosphere willignite an produce light. Such a liquid is zinc ethyl; another is asolution of phosphorus in carbon bisulid. The substances last named inigniting produce both livht ada ted for use either by night or by day.

The operation of this deviceis as follows: A. projectile equipped withit is fired. The great pneumatic pressure of the eX lesion of the firingcharge is exerted throu It drives plug 7 forward into chamier 5. Aninrush of highly-compressed gas into chamber 5 follows, and so' much ofchamber 5 asis not occupied by the tracer lilqiid is occupied byhighly-compressed gas. the projectile traverses the gun-barrel itreceives its rotary movement, and the effect of this rotary movement inchamber 5 is to carry the li uid port 6.

ros

centrifugally to the Walls. ofthe cham er, A

leaving the compressed gasfas a centrallyv4o formed by the base-pluggreater il'pssure Will expand and drive the l' f' 'g' liquid throughport c, and ini consequence ef the relatively minut-e size or port 6 theoutrushof the liquid vwill be slow i iliind will continue as theprojectile flies. The visible mark of the path'of the projectile.

Figs. l and 2 show explosive proectilel` zo distinct mein er, 'suitablyAsecured to the 'rear 'face ofthe projectile. ibas'esplug 1s modiiiedand chamber 5 is famed wal-uli it My invention is equally present ineach instance. Fig. 1 is, however,

z5 preferable to the Vextent that the tracer dfe vice-cannot encroachupon and reduce theA size ofi the burster-'cavity.

In iras.l s and 4- i haveshown in altem-ai "tivefform my invention ap`lied tol 4a blind 3o shell- 02. e., a shell provide cavity, but lackinga burste'r char e. vSuch afblilnd 'shell is commonly employecIV intarget vrv'a'ctiee. instead oformi'nga separateandindependent 3 5chamber for the tracer substance to employ the burster-cav'ity itsel'r`'to that end. The

buster-cavity is ordinarily approjdmately its axis coinclucwith the Itsvcircular" base is conical in form, and axis of` the projectile.

vconverge "anteriorly to a rounded apex. In suolrcase Icany port' `6inward through-the rear Wall of the projectile 'and conveniently throughvche base-plug 3 inthe manner shown Fig. 8 tofthe burster-cavity 2 at apoint in 'f or near The point of opemng into cavity 2 may 'of vcourse bevaried to rneet practical Icor'id-iitions The walls 'of theburster-cavity of a shell as converge very grafi-k 5o ordinarilyconstructed ually, and since in the practice of my invention theosition'ofthe ast remnant -of liquid the c amber is a resultant ofvarying yl''oroes' port 6 ma be prolonged into the chamber to any esiredpoint` that it may ify Fig'. 4 I have shovv'fnsuch'a prolongation of fport' 6 iniatubeka. In this figure I- have also 4s'hotvn 'port 6 pgssingcentrally through the 6o ruse-plilgfi, W' lCh in a' blind slie'll takesthe place oflanoperative'fu'se. 'f ini the ron-nation of port c,particularly carried through the baseeplug offencedinar-y 'blind shell,it' may be necessary tol as @au a 'une of am@ 'Iman ce have indicated-inf uid thus dispersed in the air VWill form a y t with an opening adaptemffde'v'lce applied to an n one case it forms a;

In the other case the i with a bars-tee- In such case I nd it convenient3, and its side Walls the ledge yoil/the"base'oi the cavi-ty.

est the last drags of the liquid. Inf

- said device extending across @come derstood that only -a portion or'this prolonged hole need be 'of the minute 'diameter essential tosuccessful use of the invention.

t Although I have shown a device embodying my invention applied toexplosive projectiles, its application to all projectiles, whetherexplosive or not, is obvious.

The .in'vention described herein is to be ,distinguished from.projectiles used for dist'ributing 'oil on Water, provided With a lihaving a Cport for t l uid'an claim asm inventionl. A projectileprovided Withja chamber adapted to contain ali uid, and provided d tocontrol the escape oi liquid during the llight ofprojectile, saldchamber being closed except-as regards the discharges 2. A projectileprovided Withachamber adapted to contfaln a liquid andA provided Witha`n-o eni-ng for the escape of liquid, said chamber eing closed exceptas regards the escape-opening, means for closing said'opening removableon the discharge of the pro jectile from the gun, substantially asdesuch projectiles being uid-containing chamber e inflow of a displacingI scribed.

'-3'. A projectile provided with a chamber adapted' to contain liquid,said chamber being provided with an outlet leading therefrom, saidchamber being closed except as regards said outlet and a lug normallyclosings-aid port and removab sure;v j

4. An explosive projectile `-havinga yburst or cavity and provided withan auxiliary chamber adapted to contain a liquid, said liquid having-aport fir-outlet ada ted to con- ,troll the escape of liquid during t" eilight of the projectile substantially as described. l.

5. The combination of a projectile 'having a fuse in its rear end, of atracer 4device connected to 'the' rear end of the projectile andforming' ay gascheck for thejfuse, said tracer device havingalliquid-containi-ng chamber and means for maintaining a contmuousdisfcharge of the liquid from the projectile during its ilight.

6. The combination with a projectile, of a tracer ldevice comprising acasing secured upon the rear'end of the projectile, said casing havingone or more openings in its-periphery for the discharge of tracermaterial under centrifugal force.

7. In a projectile, the combination orav another port furtheescapeofoil. j

e by external pres- ICO l1 to fuse having a-connection with the basethere of, and -a tracer device also 'having :a connection with the baseof said, projectile but inde ende'nt' oi the' connection of said vi'use,thev base of said fuse, thereby forming a gas-'check therefor, and,'fliaving aerece'ss or lchamber 'for tracer material.

8. The combination with -a projectile having a Jruse in its rear end, ofa tracer device connected to the rear end of the projectileindependently of the fuse and'forming a gascheck for the fuse, saidtracer device having a recess or chamber for tracer material.

9. The combination with the projectile having the fuse at its rear end,of a tracer device connected to the rear end of the projectile forming agas-check and su plemental supportfor the fuse, said tracer devicehaving a recess or chamber for tracer material.

1.0. The combination with a projectile having a use at its rear end7 of'a tracer device connected to the rear end of the projectileindependently of the fuse and forming a gascheck and supplementalsupport for the fuse,

said tracer device having a recess or chamber for the tracer material.

1 1. The combination with a projectile having at its rear end a fuserovided With an expanded base or ange at its outer end, of a tracerdevice connected to the projectile and abutting against said base orflange and forming a gas-check and supplemental support for the fuse.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN BONNER 'sEMPLn Y Y Witnesses:

BAYARD H. CHRISTY, E, E. GAITHER,

